Below are awards and honors University of Maryland College of Education faculty, staff and students have earned between mid-November 2024 and February 2025:
The College of Education presented Support Program for Advancing Research and Collaboration (SPARC) Awards to three new assistant professors and eight doctoral candidates. For faculty, the seed award is intended to “spark” their funded research. For doctoral students, it supports the student’s dissertation research. Faculty recipients include Kerry Alexander, assistant professor of literacy education (TLPL), for the project “Elementary Writing Teacher Development and Practice: From UMD to MSDoE”; Reka Barton, assistant professor of literacy education (TLPL), for “Mapping Multilingualism: Disrupting the Dichotomy of Dual Language Bilingual Education in Urban Schooling”; and Jimena Cosso, assistant professor (HDQM), for “Integrating Culture and Mathematics: An Experimental Study of Math Talk in Latine Families.” Doctoral candidates receiving the award include Stephanie Bent (CHSE) for “Barbadian Youth Understanding of Decolonization”; Langan Courtney (CHSE) for “The Paradox of Inclusion: A Critical Policy Analysis of UNHCR's Global Refugee Education Strategy”; Yang Fu (CHSE) for “Understanding the Landscape of RPPs in Education Settings: An Analysis of Current Trends and Future Directions”; Virginia Gomes (CHSE) for “From Individualism and Competition to Cooperation and Solidarity: An Educational–and Life–Transformation in Ceará, Brazil”; Ebenezer Kobina Mensah (CHSE) for “Reconnecting the Pieces: African Students’ Conceptualization of Identity Development in U.S. Higher Education”; Ami Patel (CHSE) for “Bridging the Gap: Culturally Adapting Youth Mental Health First Aid for South Asian American Adults”; Elnaz Safarha (CHSE) for “Inclusive Refugee Education Praxis: Exploring Refugee-led Education for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities”; and Antoinette Waller (TLPL) for “Social Mobility and Marginalization at PWIs: How Identity and College Experiences Shape Black Women's Decision Making to Pursue Graduate School.”
Na’eem Allen-Stills, a Ph.D. student in higher education, student affairs and international education policy (CHSE), received an Annuit Coeptis–Emerging Professional Award from the American College Personnel Association Awards.
Zoe Chabria, a junior mathematics and secondary education double-degree student (TLPL), was awarded the 2024 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Prospective 7-12 Secondary Teacher Course Work Scholarship. Granted to only one recipient nationwide annually, this competitive scholarship recognizes outstanding university students preparing to become middle or high school mathematics educators. This year, Chabria was awarded the maximum amount of $10,000 to financially support her tuition and living expenses.
Marley Forbes, a Ph.D. student (HDQM), received a Clara Mayo Grant from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues for “Children’s Reasoning about Confronting Gender Bias in Science Contexts.”
Kimberly Griffin M.A. ’01, dean and professor (CHSE), was named to Education Week’s RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings for the fourth consecutive year. The rankings recognize the 200 most influential university-based education scholars in the United States.
Adrienne Mayo-Brown, director of administrative services (TLPL), was recognized with the MVP Impact Award for her outstanding contributions and dedication to the University of Maryland. This award recognizes staff members who, over the past year, have demonstrated a Fearlessly Forward attitude of excellence and remarkable service that benefited their unit, department or the university.
Richard Prather, associate professor (HDQM), received a UMD Independent Scholarship, Research, and Creativity Award (ISRCA) to support his project “Is Cognitive Development Universal? Critical Approaches to Cognition.” Through this project, Prather will produce resources for researchers and students who are interested in the topic.
Ebony Terrell Shockley, associate dean for undergraduate studies and educator preparation and clinical professor (TLPL), was selected as vice president of the Maryland State Department of Education Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board. The board promotes quality education by establishing standards designed to guarantee that educational professionals meet threshold levels of knowledge and skills required to prepare all students for success.
Christopher Travers, visiting assistant clinical professor (CHSE), received the Outstanding Research Award from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) College Student Educators International Coalition on Men and Masculinities, which he will be accepting in February at the ACPA 2025 convention. This recognition is based on Travers’s scholarship in collaborating with and advocating for Black men, especially for his article titled “Healing Love: Toward a Theory of Communion for Black Men.” This award is given to an individual who has completed an exceptional journal quality research piece regarding men's development.
Bridget Turner-Kelly, associate professor (TLPL), was named a Senior Scholar by the ACPA. ACPA Senior Scholars are senior members of the student affairs profession who have made exemplary and sustained contributions to ACPA’s mission of transforming higher education by creating and sharing influential scholarship, shaping critically reflective practice and advocating for equitable and inclusive learning environments.
Allan Wigfield, professor emeritus (HDQM), had one of the most significant educational studies of the year according to Edutopia, a journal that “translates” research findings for practitioners. Wigfield’s study was originally published last year in the Journal of Educational Psychology before being highlighted in the recent Edutopia article. This research noted the importance of small wins in motivating elementary and middle school students to keep persevering with difficult math problems.
